In The News

The United States invades the Marxist-ruled island of Grenada - with President Reagan denouncing the island leaders as “leftist thugs.” So far, two American military men are killed in the invasion. The invasion comes a week after the Cuban military seized power of the tiny nation of 110,000 people - killing Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and 16 others.

The death toll climbs to 191 U.S. Marines and sailors and 25 French paratroops in suicide attacks in Beirut. The force of one of the blasts occurred at 6:20am - with the force destroying a four story, atrium-style building housing the ground companies of the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. Many were still sleeping. An attack on the French force collapsed eight-story building housing paratroopers.

A major earthquake rocks the Northwest - from Oregon to North Dakota. The 6.9 trembler devastated the town of Mackay, Idaho. So far 2 are dead. A storefront collapsed on a boy-6 and girl-7 in Challis, ID. The quake was centered 110 miles northwest of Pocatello.

CBS news airs videotape showing the arrest of John Delorean in the role of a government sting operation. The video tape showed Delorean, leaning toward a coffee table and briefly examining 25 kilos of cocaine - exclaiming “It’s better than gold. Gold weighs more than that for god’s sake. He then joined a toast with champagne then said - “I think it’s gonna be wonderful for everybody. To a lot of success for everybody.” The videotape continuing, it showed agent Jerry West of the FBI identifying himself and placing John Delorean under arrest.

U.S district judge Robert Takasugi admonishes CBS for broadcasting the videotape in the John Delorean cocaine trafficking case and delays the start of his trial “indefinitely.”“The CBS interference in that (judicial) process may have devastating effects (on the trial). “Hopefully, it is not a mortal blow.”

A judge acquits Anthony Spilotro - Las Vegas (overseer) for the Chicago mob for the torture deaths of 2 men - 20 years ago.

Technology news – October 24, 1983

Xerox announces that it is selling most of its 54 retail outlets to a newly formed Dallas-based retail group called Genra. The new chain - called “The Genra Store,” plans to use the Xerox base to build-out nationwide. The stores plan on selling Xerox products plus several brands of computer systems.

Sports news – October 24, 1983

Entertainment/Television/Celebrity news – October 24, 1983

A federal judge rules that Christina Craft, former television anchor for KMBC in Kansas City, was not a victim of sex discrimination and that her $500 thousand award for fraud is excessive and that a new trial should be granted to the station’s owner - Metromedia. Craft said that in 1981 she was demoted from anchor position on the station because station management felt that she was “too old, and too unattractive and not deferential enough to men.”

At Flowery Branch, Georgia, Paul Newman - while leading the GTI - collides his Datsun 280ZX with a Corvette. Newman was leading comfortably and even set a track record of 104,094 mph to qualify for the race. He’ll be OK.

Yoko Ono donates over 700 acres of land, two mansions, lithographs by John Lennon and other properties “in apology as a member of the human race in memory of war casualties of the world. The gifts will go to several orphanages, an art school, CARE and central park in New York.

Passing - Otto Messmer - (91) created “Felix the Cat.” Also drew for King Features Syndicate and the New York Journal American until 1951. For King Features, he drew for “Popeye.” “Felix” actually came from a series he began entitled “Feline Follies.”

KABC-TV Los Angeles (Channel 7) senior anchorman Jerry Dunphy and a woman companion are shot while driving into the KABC studios in Hollywood. Both are in stable condition. The pair was headed back to the station from dinner to do the 11pm newscast. Dunphy’s Rolls Royce paused for a stop sign when two men approached on foot. Dunphy said one of the men told them not to move - but shots were fired. Dunphy was wounded in the right arm and has a superficial neck wound. The woman - a veteran makeup artist was also shot in the arm. The gunmen are still at large. Jerry Dunphy is probably the best-known newscaster in the west - beginning fame on KNXT-TV ( CBS-Channel 2) as part of “The Big News” in the 60’s - then joining Eyewitness News on Channel 7 in the 70’s.

Jessica Savitch (35), NBC anchorwoman and New York Post executive Martin Fischbein (34) drown when their car runs off a rain slickened road and overturns in the Delaware Canal in New Hope, Pennsylvania. The pair had just left a restaurant when Fischbein - who was driving - tried to avoid a parked car on a narrow roadway, which paralleled the Delaware Canal. The car went down the embankment and flipped over into 5 feet of muddy water. The pair tried to get out, but couldn’t open the door in the muddy bottom. Savitch could be seen on NBC on the prime time “News-Digests” and could also be seen weekly on PBS - anchoring “Frontline.” A dog with the couple also drowned. Savitch began her career as a disk jockey - most notably in Rochester at top-40 WBBF in the mid-late 60’s - where she used the handle “HoneyBee.” Finishing college, She then moved to television in Houston - then to Philadelphia at KYW-TV (NBC-Channel 3) as a co-anchor. From there, she landed a job at NBC, New York.